Do you feel this is safe?

[Trek420]

I'm with Tuck, I agree that people have a right to bare arms but I have a healthy respect for and positively fear of guns. I won't own one, nor will I have one in my house.

I'm also not sure there was less crime when I was a kid. There were pedophiles, rapists, addicts etc. I think we were less aware of it.

I think we need a healthy balance as women of taking normal precautions, using common sense and sometimes I think this "be afraid, very afraid" message keeps women down. Is it meant to do that? I'm not sure.

But you say "Trek, you're a 2nd degree black belt, in training for 3rd, it's different for you"

No, it's not.

As a martial artist I train for that 'ah hah! " moment of "oh,it's supposed to be my other left foot". I try to get one technique right every class. Really. It's fun, essential part of my physical training and part of my eclectic spiritual practice. I don't train to be the biggest baddest Mo Fo on the block. People come to MA for a variety of reasons including that, few last long with that attitude . Most find other satisfactions from training, drop out the moment they get 1st degree black belt .... or just leave.

I will say this. I believe in avoiding confrontation, escalation or dangerous situations at all costs. On the other hand I hope this is true of me that if an unavoidable conflict occurred .... I'd either win or there's going to be enough pieces of him on me that there's going to be an airtight case based on DNA evidence.

But let's just not get into that situation in the first place shall we?

Now, get out there and RIDE!